JPS6059157B2 - multicolored ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a ribbon cassette used in an impact type dot printer. This invention relates to a multicolor ribbon cassette used when forming a ribbon.

The present invention aims to provide a structure suitable for employing an ink replenishment method using an ink cartridge in such a multicolor ribbon cassette, and one embodiment thereof will be described below.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a cassette case 1 is composed of a lower case 2 and a cover 3 thereof, and has a recess in the front part thereof sufficient to hold a print head (not shown). . The endless ink ribbon 4 has Ξ color bands 4 of yellow, magenta, and cyan, which are the three primary colors of paint.
y, 4m, and 4c, some of which are accommodated in the storage room 5 in an irregularly folded manner. The ink ribbon 4 is normally drawn out through openings 8 and 9 at its ends through 6 and 7. A transfer roller 10 is rotatably supported at the end position of the storage chamber 5 on the side of the passage 6, and has three protruding transfer surfaces 10y on its outer peripheral surface.
, 10m, and 10c are provided in parallel. A lower shaft 11 of the transfer roller 10 protrudes from a hole 12 in the lower case 2, and has a cross-shaped groove 13 on its lower end surface, as shown in FIG. When the ribbon cassette is attached to the print head, a ribbon feed shaft (not shown) provided on the print head side is fitted into this groove 13, thereby causing the transfer roller 10 to move to the first It is rotated counterclockwise in the figure. Further, the upper shaft 14 of the transfer roller 10 protrudes upward from the hole 15 of the cover 3, so that the upper shaft 14 can be rotated by hand. The pressing roller 16 that acts to press the ink ribbon 4 against the transfer roller 10 has three pressing surfaces 16y, 16m, and 16c as shown in the fourth figure, corresponding to the transfer surfaces 10y, 10m, and 10c of the transfer roller 10. A narrow neck portion 17 therebetween is rotatably supported by a holding member 18. Although it is not clear in the drawing, the holding member 18 is slidably guided by the lower case 2 and is biased to the left in FIG. 1 via a spring 19. As a result, the ink ribbon 4 is pressed against the transfer roller 10 via the pressure roller 16, and when the transfer roller 16 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 1, the ink ribbon 4 is rotated clockwise in FIG. be passed around. Further, a plate spring 20 is arranged on the passage 7 side, and the ink ribbon 4 is passed between the free end of this plate spring 20 and the protrusion 21, and the ink ribbon 4 is moved appropriately by the frictional force therebetween. The tension is given. On the other hand, around the transfer roller 10, three ink cartridges 22Y, 22M, and 22C of yellow, magenta, and cyan are arranged radially on the same plane. A core material 23 such as the core material 23 is in contact with each transfer surface 10y, 10m, 10c of the transfer roller 10.

Each of the ink cartridges 22Y, 22M, and 22C has a vacant chamber 24 provided in the lower case 2 with an opening toward the bottom surface.
(See Figure 5). In each ink cartridge 22Y, 22M, 22C, the vertical position of the core material 23 corresponds to the transfer surface 10y, 10m, 10c, and although the ink cartridges are different from each other, the containers are commonly used by devising the following. ing. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the container of each ink cartridge 22Y, 22M is composed of a cylindrical body 25 and its cap 26, and the inside thereof is impregnated with yellow, magenta, or cyan ink. A fibrous ink-impregnating material 27 is enclosed. A core material 23 for guiding the ink of the ink-impregnated material 27 protrudes forward from the cap 26 at a position offset by a certain distance from the center axis x of the container. Therefore, the ink cartridges 22Y, 22M, and 22C are rotated by 90 parts and inserted into the corresponding empty chambers 24 so that the core materials 23 are located at the upper, right side, and lower positions, respectively.
3 is the corresponding transfer surface 10y, 10m of the transfer roller 10,
10c. Positioning grooves 28 and 29 are formed in the shape of a cross on the rear surface of the cylinder body 25 in order to determine the above-mentioned insertion posture of each ink cartridge 22Y, 22M, and 22C, and a side wall 30 that partitions the empty space 24 A leaf spring 31, which is an example of an engaging member, is provided between the rear wall 31 and the core member 23 when the leaf spring 32 is engaged with the positioning groove 28. Furthermore, when the core member 23 is engaged with the positioning groove 29, the core member 23 will be located right next to it. Note that each ink cartridge 22Y, 22M, 22C has a plate spring 3.
It is pressed toward the transfer roller 10 by spring force No. 2. Next, the operation will be explained. When this ribbon cassette is attached to a print head, the transfer roller 10 is rotated as the ribbon cassette moves, and the ink ribbon 4 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 at this time.

When the transfer roller 10 rotates, its transfer surface 10y,1
0m, 10c each ink cartridge 22Y, 22M,
Ink is attached from the core material 23 of 22C, and this ink is transferred and replenished onto the corresponding color bands 4y, 4m, and 4c of the ink ribbon 4. In the case of color printing, ink of each color is not necessarily consumed equally, so each ink cartridge 22Y
, 22M, and 22C differ from each other, but when the ink cartridge reaches the end of its life, it is replaced with a new bare cartridge. Each ink cartridge 22Y, 22M, and 22C is replaced as appropriate. However, when the same ribbon cassette is used for a long period of time, when the ink ribbon 4 becomes damaged and becomes unusable, the entire ribbon cassette is replaced with a new one. When replenishing, each color band 4y, 4m, 4c of the ink ribbon 4 is replenished with a small amount of ink, so ink is not excessively contained.Therefore, there is little color mixing between each color band 4y, 4m, 4c. Although the above embodiment is an example of three colors, it can also be applied to a case of one color with black added, and the form of the positioning groove and the engaging member can be changed as necessary. .

According to the present invention described in detail above, when an ink replenishment method using ink cartridges is adopted in a multicolor ribbon cassette, each ink cartridge can be configured with a common container, reducing manufacturing costs. Since they are arranged radially on the same plane around the transfer roller, they can be constructed compactly.

Furthermore, since the ink is replenished by an ink cartridge, there is little color mixing in each color band, and a permanently clear color recording can be obtained. Furthermore, by appropriately replacing each ink cartridge, the same ribbon cassette can be used continuously over a long period of time, and is therefore a consumable item. This has the effect of reducing the cost required for ribbon cassettes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the multicolor ribbon cassette of the present invention with its cover removed, Fig. 2 is a partially sectional side view of the same multicolor ribbon cassette, and Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the transfer roller. , Fig. 4 is a front view of the pressure roller, and Fig. 5 is Fig. 2 V-
6 is a rear view of the ink cartridge, FIG. 7 is a partially sectional side view of the same ink cartridge, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line V.
The figure is a front view of the same ink cartridge. ±...Cassette case, 2...Lower case, 3...Cover, 4...Ink ribbon, 4y, 4m, 4c... Ink ribbon color band, 10...Transfer roller, 10y, 10m, 10
c...Transfer surface, 22Y, 22M, 22C...
... Ink cartridge, 23 ... Core material, 2
8, 29...positioning groove, 32...engaging member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transfer roller is rotatably supported in a cassette case that accommodates a multicolor ink ribbon having a plurality of color bands,
The transfer roller has a plurality of ink cartridges each having a plurality of protruding transfer surfaces on which the color bands are in contact with each other and each containing a different color of ink, which are arranged radially around the transfer roller, Each of the cartridges has a core member protruding forward from a position eccentric from the central axis by a predetermined amount at the front part thereof, and a plurality of positioning grooves are recessed in the rear part of the core member, and each of the ink cartridges has a core member protruding forward from a position eccentric from the central axis by a predetermined amount. The cassette case is provided with an engaging member that engages with one of the positioning grooves and holds the ink cartridge so that the core material comes into contact with a corresponding transfer surface of the transfer roller. A multicolored ribbon cassette made up of twists. 2. The multicolor ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein the ink cartridge is removably housed in the cassette case. 3. The multicolor ribbon cassette according to claim 1, wherein the engaging member is formed of a leaf spring, and the ink cartridge is pressed toward the transfer roller by the spring force.